The Prince of Mist

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

A mysterious house harbors an unimaginable secret...

It's wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village. But from the minute they cross the threshold of their new home, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners' son, who died by drowning.

With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the strange circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called the Prince of Mist--a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden--an adventure that will change their lives forever.

About the Author

Carlos Ruiz Zafón is the author of six novels, including the international phenomenon The Shadow of the Wind. His work has been published in more than fifty countries, and honored with numerous awards. He divides his time between Barcelona, Spain, and Los Angeles, California.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

Beverly B, August 20, 2013 (view all comments by Beverly B)
The Prince of Mist is an entertaining middle grade read for reluctant readers and readers who are not easily spooked. It is not too long and wreaks lots of creepiness. The Prince of Mist is a combination of ghost story and fantasy, and once the action gets going, it is intense. The Prince is a very scary antagonist. I may have to read the sequel in hopes of finding out more about him.

In addition to the past tragedy, Max can feel that something evil resides nearby, and he begins to dream about the garden behind the home, where creepy statues of circus performers reside. Max notices that the statues have moved to different positions each time he goes there.

But there are things for Max to like in his new surroundings too, including his new friend Roland, who teaches Max to dive to a nearby shipwreck in search of treasure. When Max’s sister, Alicia, strikes up a relationship with Roland, the three become inseparable. Then they discover the rest of the story about the drowned boy and the prince of mist.

It turns out Roland’s grandfather, the local lighthouse keeper, has been keeping vigil over the area to keep the prince of mist from coming back to claim another life, one the prince feels is rightfully his. They all work together to uncover the mystery at the prince’s core, before he comes back to strike again.

While the story leaves more questions asked than answered at the end, The Prince of Mist is a good introduction to other Zafon works, such as The Shadow of the Wind, The Midnight Palace, and The Angel’s Game.

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